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Brexit negotiator Barnier
Photo: JOHANNA GERON / REUTERS
The hoped-for trade pact between the European Union and Great Britain is still on the brink a few days before the end of the Brexit transition period.
After information about movement in the negotiations, it was said in the afternoon that there was still no breakthrough in the fisheries issue.
There are also some points open on the subject of fair competitive conditions, according to unanimous statements by EU diplomats after information from EU negotiator Michel Barnier.
"We're really at a crucial point now, and we're making one last effort," said Barnier.
He will continue to work and keep the EU states and the European Parliament up to date.
According to diplomats, however, he described a proposal recently submitted by Great Britain for an agreement on the disputed fishing rights in the North Sea as "unacceptable".
Barnier reiterated the EU's will to reach a trade agreement with the British.
"Our door will remain open until the end of the year and beyond," Barnier was quoted as saying.
Previously, the Vice President of the EU Parliament, Katarina Barley (SPD), had brought a limited extension of the transition phase into play on behalf of several EU parliamentarians.
The hand of the EU is "always outstretched".
However, when asked if there were any plans to extend the transition period, the British Home Secretary Priti Patel said: "There are none."
Should an agreement be reached in the next few days, it would already be too late for the trade agreement to be ratified on time, according to the EU Parliament.
A provisional application with later ratification would be conceivable, should there be a breakthrough in the next few days.
Alternatively, a "no-deal scenario" threatens, with tariffs and other trade barriers at the borders with the United Kingdom from January 1st.
Even with the prospect of negotiations going on beyond the end of the year, this could not be prevented until an agreement was found.
Due to a mutation of the corona virus that has been detected in southern England, there is already chaos on the roads that connect Great Britain with mainland Europe.
Numerous European countries then cut ties to the United Kingdom, and goods traffic to France was also interrupted.
Up to 4,000 trucks are stuck
Hundreds of trucks recently jammed near the important port of Dover on the English Channel.
2180 vehicles were parked at the closed Manston Airport, said a spokeswoman for the local government of the southeastern English county of Kent on Tuesday evening.
About 630 other trucks were parked on several lanes of the M20 motorway between London and the port of Dover.
Trade associations even assumed 4,000 trucks currently waiting to leave the country.
France reportedly plans to lift the border closure at midnight.
According to French Prime Minister Jean Castex, French citizens who are in Great Britain will also be able to re-enter from Wednesday.
The prerequisite is that you can show a negative corona test.
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fek / Reuters / dpa